The growing green movement is increasingly impacting the types of motor vehicles people are buying. Added to this environmentally friendly approach to transportation is the ever-climbing price of fuel. As such, the question of the electric car is becoming a topic of frequent discussion.
Although the exact year is debated, it is known that between 1832-1839 a type of electric carriage was designed in Scotland by Robert Anderson. The electric cars enjoyed a heyday of sorts right up until the 1920s when the gasoline powered cars overtook the market. Some of the reasons why this happened are still among the problems affecting the viability of electric cars today. The main factors are the limited range of vehicles and the price
Some electric cars are powered by a bank of batteries that store the power needed to make the vehicle move, while others use fuel cells. Batteries and fuel cells replace the gas tank found in gasoline-powered vehicles.
Fuel cells, unlike batteries use hydrogen from a hydrogen tank which is mixed with oxygen and is then converted to electricity to power the vehicle. Electric cars that use fuels cells never really run down as do those that use pure electric power and need to be recharged. Once there is hydrogen (the fuel) and the mixing apparatus is working the car will go.
Another significant difference in how electric cars work compared to a gas or diesel vehicle is that there is no engine as we know it but rather one or more electric motors which control the wheels and gearbox of the vehicle.
The batteries are charged overnight using a charger plugged into a regular electric outlet so that the vehicle can be driven once the batteries are fully powered. Electric cars are generally powered by lead-acid, although newer types of batteries are being developed such as sodium-sulfur and zinc-chlorine.
Some of the newer electric cars on the market today include the Tesla Roadster, the Phoenix SUT, the Honda EV Plus, and the UEV Spyder.
If you really want an electric vehicle and cannot afford the price or as is often the case cannot find one, consider converting your vehicle into an electric car.
The main benefits of electric cars are:
1. They are much cleaner than other types of vehicles as they cause much less pollution.
2. They are said to be much more durable than traditional cars.
3. They have regenerative braking
4. Lower fuel costs: electric cars get their power from electricity and even the sun (yes, some have solar panels).
5. They are low maintenance; unlike traditional motor vehicles electric cars have just one main moving part that needs regular tune-ups.
Currently, the major issue with electric cars is the distance they can go once charged – not very far. Some need to be recharged after every 100 miles or less. In addition to the issue of range, electric cars are still not yet at the stage where they can be called reliable, as it generally takes many hours for batteries to be fully recharged.
Electric cars are generally quite expensive, many going for in excess of $30,000. This is the kind of price few car buyers can afford, especially when you can’t drive them for long periods of time or for great distances.
Most electric vehicles can travel up to 60 miles per hour, although there are now prototypes that can go up to 100 miles per hour.
The time of the electric car may well be now, although there are few purely electric cars on the market currently, as most are hybrids. These are generally referred to as HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicles). The powers that be in the auto industry predict that electric cars will be the norm rather than the exception in another 20 or so years.
Thank you to Jessica McCurdy Crooks for this “The Electric Car” article.